Indian Democracy and Electoral Reform -- An aam aadmi's view

Those who possessing UID, Election ID or such proof should be allowed to caste their vote. There is lots of loophole in today’s electoral system. Genuine persons not get their name in electoral roll due to corruption, laziness of officials, manipulation, favouritism, etc. towards some party/ individuals etc. in the area. Election official never make door to door survey. Even though we citizen visit Election office/ regional centres, by one way or the other they just collect form, but the name will not appear. Reason, the lazy election official don’t want to visit and cross verify the list of persons. Due to this cumbersome process, and in absence of dedicated 24 x 7 website for registering individuals name in electoral roll, people don’t want to go through this tedious process and harassment at the hands of some individuals. This is the best example, why individuals don’t vote during election. At preliminary stage, it failed. Major political parties also well aware of the fact, they also don’t want genuine voters to vote mere a pep talk.

My recommendation is as follows:-

 Depute private sector/ individuals to register individual’s name in Voter’s ID by giving Rs.10/- per form (or such remuneration based) after collecting enough documentary evidence and to survey door to door. If the person not available, a slip should be dropped inside the door and show their next visit in this area preferably on holidays.

 Negative Vote : Allow negative voting. If there is no proper candidate available, individual can give protest vote through negative voting. If there is more negative voting than the positive vote for a particular candidate, then repolling should be conducted with fresh set of candidate.

 Right to recall non-performing/poor performance of candidate/ corruption/scandals etc anytime after a period of 6 months. This will compel to perform well and make accountable to people. In today’s election, once we had election, the candidate would turn up only after 5 years i.e. during election.

 Those who have enrolled in UID/ Electoral Roll etc. having proper address proof should be allowed to vote. What they require is just proper identification of individual through finger print, face detection and other modern method of technology with the help of internet. This will ensure maximum polling merely depending on new electoral revision roll. UID also linked to electoral roll compulsorily. This will avoid rigging, poll mismanagement etc.

 Use of latest Technology like Internet: Every polling both in the country should be connected with internet with CCTV. Citizen of this area should be allowed to vote through internet through proper mechanism like proper identification etc. CCTV footage will ensure no fake voter/ powerful individual caste their vote in dishonest way. CCTV should connect with internet which can monitor by state Election official, para military etc. on real time basis.

 Election should be conducted on one day instead of phased manner. The credibility of election system is at take in the present scenario as people have to wait for long time to get result instead of same day. We are not convinced that state cannot conduct election across the country in the same day. It is a lame excuse. My opinion is that election should conduct in single day and the same day election result declared.

 Loophole in EVM (Electoral Voting Machine): Govt. credibility at stake after the recent episode of whistle blower like Hari Prasad who try to expose the loophole in EVM and putting him behind bar. This action on the part of the govt. seems that govt. and election official have something to hide from people. Even after implementation of EVM, election result also delaying for many days which added suspicion. There is no back up and cross verification system in EVM. I think EVM is threat to democracy in the present form. Some modification is required or need to go back to ballot box like the western countries adopting, that also in a transparent, sturdy ballot boxes with same day result i.e. immediate after closing election time.

 Dissolve Raj Sabha: It is a waste of national exchequer. Those who have big money bag and connection can buy any Raj Sabha Post. Corporate Houses and big wealthy individuals misusing Raj Sabha election. Similarly Member of Legislative council should be repealed/ dismantled.

 Questionable role of state and central civilian bureaucracy during election : Politician fear state level bureaucracy across the party line. Hence before every election, state and central officials get various sops from govt. To avoid this, para military, CRPF, Military and other mixed bag of civilian should be deputed in election duty. This will avoid favouring any particular political party/ individual. From making electoral roll revision to conducting election, state officials are largely involved. Most of them have not politically neutral and either honest bureaucrats fear to discharge their duties honestly and at the same time, political parties also fear bureaucracy. This is a big topics which need wider debate.

 Dedicated website : Need a dedicated Website for Election across India. Citizen can register their name in electoral revision. Election official/ deputed personnel will cross check the details of address and person by visiting their house within a short span of 1 week and report it back. Citizen can lodge any election related complaint to this website on 24 x 7 basis and also give toll free number.

 National coalition govt. : To avoid horse-trading and ensure maximum representation of the people, a better option available is national coalition. This will ensure maximum peoples representation and one party monopoly. Portfolio allocation will be done based on the party’s representation. This will put an end on caste/communal politics to the large extend. It is unworthy for those people who sit just a small number of vote. Adequate representation can be ensured.

 Banning serious criminals in political arena. A low should bring to all political parties banning in giving ticket to the criminals who is facing serious crime. This will put an end to maximum criminalisation of politics.

 Paid News and major political parties: A minimum and maximum time slot should be fixed to air their perception during election those who contesting the election.

 A media code of conduct should be implemented alongwith Election Reform to avoid misuse of news media and other advertising channels.

 Those who completed 16 years can be vote. This will ensure more youth participation and strengthening democratic process.. In the modern democracy 16 years is matured enough to vote and they know that is right and wrong.

Once it is implemented, people start largely participating the political process and regain the confidence of political democracy. This is the major recommendation from ‘aamadmis of India’.